Door latch

ABSTRACT

The door latch has a hub rotatably seated in a monolithic boxframe and retained on its seat by a spring clip anchored within the box-frame. An integral latch hook and operating lever is mounted on the hub with the lever extending to the exterior of the box-frame through a slot in one of its walls; the lever being manipulable in said slot to rotate to hub in its seat and so swing the latch hook between in and out positions through a second slot in opposite wall of the box-frame disposed in spaced longitudinal alignment with a thin tongue integral with and extending outwardly from the same wall.

United States Patent Cowen Apr. 15, 1975 [54] DOOR LATCH 3,596,954 8/1971 Hull... 292/128 1 1 Inventor: William Com, Caledon East, 3:333:32; llill $3, 52,211: ....::1::::::::: 533/132 Ontario, Canada [73] Assignee: Ram Partitions Limited, Weston, Primary Examiner-Robert Wolfe Ontario, Canada 22 Filed: Feb. 22, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT The door latch has a hub rotatably seated in a mono- [211 Appl' 444720 lithic box-frame and retained on its seat by a spring clip anchored within the box-frame. An integral latch 52 0.5. CI. 292/101; 70/100; 292/010. 46; book and Operating lever is mounted on the hub with 29g/ 55 the lever extending to the exterior of the box-frame [51] Int. Cl. E05c 19/10 through a Slot in one Of its Walls; the levcr being 531 Field of Search 292 101 123 129 03 nipulable in said slot to rotate to hub in its seat and so 292 1 4 1 55; 70 100 swing the latch hook between in and out positions through a second slot in opposite wall of the box- 56] References Cited frame disposed in spaced longitudinal alignment with UNITED STATES PATENTS a thin tongue integral with and extending outwardly from the same wall. 3,025,693 3/1962 Bragmetz 70/100 3,174,783 3/1965 Russell 292/103 13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DOOR LATCI-l The present invention relates to door latches particu-' larly suited for use on sliding doors. While the novel principles of the invention are more or less adaptable to latches of the type capable of beng mortised into the leading stile of a door, the present embodiment concerns itself essentially with a latch intended to be surface mounted on such stile for operation from the inside or outside of the door to effect locking and unlocking engagement thereof with a door jamb.

Latches as herein visualized are largely used in those situations i.e., on aluminum screen and storm doors where economy is a significant factor and the latch of the invention is designed to answer to these requirements; this being one of its main objects.

It has recently become the practice to combine latches such as that contemplated by the invention with door handles or door pulls and the latch of the invention is designed to accommodate and provide such door pull as well.

The chief merit of the invention is believed to reside in the simplicity and consequent economy of its construction coupled with appropriate versatility and sturdiness; Thus, a complete latch according to the invention ready to be mounted on a door stile may be comprised of as few as four separate parts and its particular design will enable such latch to be assembled in a few moments with the aid of only a pair of pliers, for example.

The enumerated objects of the invention and others both stated and unstated will be apparent from the hereinafter following description of the elements, parts and principles constituting the invention as embodied in the preferred form herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing by way of example only wherein like reference devices refer to like parts thhroughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a fragment of a door stile with a latch according to the invention mounted thereon; a part of the stile being broken away to show an ancillary part of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the latch of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view ofa portion of the assembled latch with parts thereof broken to reveal hidden structure;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat reduced version of FIG. 3 with some of the parts removed and others shown in solid and broken lines;

FIG. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of two of the parts in cooperative relation with each other.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the latch L is shown in FIG. I, mounted on one side i.e., the interior sideof a door D and there may be added thereto the externally mounted cylinder lock C having a conventional tail T which normally extends through the door stile S to engage the latch L for operation by a key from the outside in the manner suggested and obvious from the view.

The cylinder lock C with its tail T are most familiar to the art and need not be dwelt upon at this juncture.

The latch L per se, as previously stated, may consist only of the four separate parts illustrated in the exploded view of FIG. 2 wherein the numeral 2 represents a box-frame in which a hub 4 is rotatably disposed and coupled with the hook-lever unit HL best shown (in part) in FIGS. 4 and 6 whereby the lever 8 of the latter, per se, projects through a wall 10b of the boxframe 2 and is manipulable to procure swinging of latch hook 12 through another wall 10a (which confronts the first named wall 10b) between the operative and inoperative positions shown in respectively solid and broken lines in FIG. 4.

Said hook-lever unit HL and hub 4 are held in place by a clip 14 which is anchored within the box-frame 2 to retain it in a seat 16, also to be further described, which is integrally incorporated in box-frame 2; said clip 14 also providing spring loading for hub 4 as will be obvious from FIG. 6.

Dealing more specifically with the parts above described, the box-frame 2 is basically comprised, in this example, of four walls which are interconnected with each other to describe a shallow box i.e., the boxframe 2 which is of one-piece or monolithic construction and is shaped to be capable of being cast. Each said wall 10a and 10b is of narrow elongated conformation and a counterpart of its companion wall described. These walls l0a-l0b confront each other in the box-frame 2 and are distinguished from each other by the letters a and b for a purpose which will appear. A thin tongue 18, integral with wall 10a, projects outwardly from an intermediate area and extends longitudinally thereof; this tongue 18 being disposed in spaced longitudinal alignment with a slot 20 formed in an adjacent area of wall 100.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, the walls 10a and 10b are joined at one side of the box-frame 2 by a web 22 in which there is formed a socket which provides the seat 16 for the hub 4 as previously described; the hub 4 being trunnioned and rotatable in or on its said seat 16 about an axis which is perpendicular to web 22.

As has been indicated, hub 4 is clamped into its seat 16 by clip 14 whose nature and construction will be apparent from FIG. 2 and 3 and which is ideally formed of spring steel and incorporates leaf spring 24 which is anchored within box-frame 2 by slotted pillars 26-26 providing anchorages for the respective ends 28-28 of the leaf spring 24 at the sides of the box-frame 2 respectively adjacent the confronting walls 10a and 10b; each spring leaf end 28 being received within apillar slot 30 which is then clinched as in FIG. 3 to grip it; the pillar 26 being, of course, integral with box-frame 2.

The spring leaf 24 is in this wise supported and held in the tangential relation to hub 4 indicated in FIGS. 3 and 6; the specific means for clamping hub 4 into its seat 16 being constituted by fingers 32-32 which are integral with spring leaf 24 and bent at right angles thereto to engage and bear against the head (to be described) of said hub 4.

In this embodiment, the hub 4 is provided with an axial keyway K for the tail T of the cylinder lock C and the fingers 32-32 are shaped to embrace this keyway K as suggested in FIG. 3 so as to avoid obstructing it while clamping hub 4 in its seat 16. As previously indicated, the hook-lever unit HL is comprised of a latch hook 12 and has an elongated rearward extension constituting the lever 8. Said hook-lever unit HL is preferably formed of flattened material with a central orifice 34 accommodating the hub 4. Said orifice 34 is noncircular and the hub 4 is shaped conformingly thereto in cross-section. Thus, when the hook-lever unit HL is mounted on hub 4, its lever 8 will project through slot 36 provided in wall 10b in which it will be manipulable back and forth in the longitudinal direction of wall 10b to procure corresponding rotation of hub 4 in its seat 16 effecting, in turn, swinging of latch hook 12 through slot 20 in wall 10a between an operative position in which it extends through the slot 20 for engagement with a co-operating keeper (not shown) mounted, for exaple, on an adjacent door jamb and an inoperative position in which it the latch hook l2 is virtually completely retracted within said boxframe 2.

As will be observed, the hub 4 has a head 40 at one of its ends which is larger than orifice 34 and cannot pass therethrough; the other end being circular in part to permit trunnioning thereof in seat 16.

In summary, it will be seen that the box-frame 2, thus far described, has an integral web 22 providing hub seat 16 and integral pillars 2626 providing anchorage for clip 14 by which hub 4 is clamped into its said seat 16 after being threaded through orifice 34 of hook-lever unit HL.

Box-frame 2, walls la-l0b, web 22, and pillars 26-26 all constitute a single, integral or monolithic construction. To assemble latch L, it is therefore necessary only to insert hook-lever unit HL into box-frame 2 through slot 36 in wall b after which hub 4 is passed through orifice 34 of hook-lever unit HL into its seat 16 and the clip 14 anchored in pillars 2626 to clamp hub 4 in its seat 16; thereby completing the assembly of latch L.

As will be obvious, the only mechanical work required to secure the assembly is to clinch the clip 14 in pillars 2626.

It will be recalled that the anchoring of clip 14 in pillars 26-26 disposes its leaf spring 24 in tangential relation to the hook-lever unit HL where it surrounds orifree 34 and which is flattened at the zone of contact as at 41 so as to stress leaf spring 24 when the hook-lever unit HL is rotated, in a manner shown in FIG. 6. As will be understood, upon swinging of hooklever unit HL, its flattened zone 41 will be removed and replaced by an unflattened area thereby stressing leaf spring 24 for an obvious purpose.

It will be appreciated that the end of the hub 4 opposite its head 40 is mainly circular to permit trunnioning of hub 4 in its seat 16 aspreviously indicated.

A further refinement contemplated by the invention subsists in the provision of cover 42 for one side of the box-frame 2 which is integral therewith in this embodiment and a part thereof. As a practical matter said cover 42 merges with the web 22 and also provides rooting for the handle or door pull P; all being constituent parts of and integral wih the box-frame 2 and all as shown cross-sectionally in FIG. 5.

The monolithic design of the box-frame 2 and its various constituents walls l0a-10b; tongue 18; web 22; cover 42 and door pull P is such as to permit it to be formed by casting; the latch L being then completed by the insertion of hook-lever HL, and hub 4 which are retained therein by clip 14 as previously described.

What I claim is:

1. In a door latch, a monolithic box-frame mountable on a stile of a door and, having narrow elongated walls confronting each other;

a thin tongue integral with one of said walls projecting outwardly from an intermediate area and extending longitudinally thereof;

a slotin said one wall in spaced longitudinaltalignment with said tongue; a hub within said box-frame;

a web joining said confronting walls at onesideof said box-frame providing a hub seat on which said hub is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said web; means for clamping said hub against said web to retain it in said seat; a hook radially attached to said hub and swingable by and upon rotation of the latter between an operative position in which it extends through the. slot aforesaid for engagement with a co-operating keeper and an inoperative position in which it is disengaged from said keeper and virtually comand overlies the said hub; pressing it yieldingly against said seat.

3. A door latch as set forth in claim 2 including anchorages at the respective confronting walls of the boxframe between which and to which the clip is anchored.

4. A door latch as set forth in claim 2 wherein said clip includes a leaf spring disposed tangentially of said hub; the hub having a flat against which the leaf spring bears resiliently when the hook is in one of its positions aforesaid.

5. A door latch as set forth in claim 3 wherein said clip includes a leaf spring disposed tangentially of said hub and with its respective ends engaged with said anchorages; the hub having a flat against which the leaf spring bears resiliently when the hook is in one of its positions aforesaid.

6. A door latch as set forth in claim 4 wherein said clip includes fingers integral with and in angularly offset relation to said leaf spring which overlie the. hub as aforesaid and press it yieldingly against said seat.

7. A door latch as set forth in claim 5 wherein said clip includes fingers integral with and in angularly off set relation to said leaf spring which overlie the hubas aforesaid and press it yielding against said seat.

8. A door latch as set forth in claim 7 including a keyway in said hub which is bracketed by said fingers.

9. A door latch as set forth in claim 8 wherein the. hub seat provided by said web is a socket in which the hub is trunnioned.

10. A door latch as set forth in claim 8 wherein said lever and said hook are integral with each other.

11. A door latch as set forth in claim 10 wherein said lever and hook constitute a single unit having a central orifice in which said hub is receivable; said orifice being non-circular and said hub having a conforming cross-section preventing rotation of said hub within said orifice; the hub seat provided by said web being a socket in which the hub is trunnioned.

12. A door latch as set forth in claim 11 including an integral cover for one side of said box-frame; said cover,

having a door pull forming a part thereof.

13. A door latch as set forth in claim 12 wherein said web merges with said cover.

* l= l= l 

1. In a door latch, a monolithic box-frame mountable on a stile of a door and, having narrow elongated walls confronting each other; a thin tongue integral with one of said walls projecting outwardly from an intermediate area and extending longitudinally thereof; a slot in said one wall in spaced longitudinal alignment with said tongue; a hub within said box-frame; a web joining said confronting walls at one side of said boxframe providing a hub seat on which said hub is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said web; means for clamping said hub against said web to retain it in said seat; a hook radially attached to said hub and swingable by and upon rotation of the latter between an operative position in which it extends through the slot aforesaid for engagement witH a cooperating keeper and an inoperative position in which it is disengaged from said keeper and virtually completely retracted within said box-frame; and a lever radially attached to said hub and extending therefrom through a slot in the other of said confronting walls in which said lever is movable to rotate said hub to procure swinging of said hook between its operative and inoperative positions as aforesaid.
 2. A door latch as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for clamping said hub against said web comprises a clip which is anchored within the box-frame and overlies the said hub; pressing it yieldingly against said seat.
 3. A door latch as set forth in claim 2 including anchorages at the respective confronting walls of the box-frame between which and to which the clip is anchored.
 4. A door latch as set forth in claim 2 wherein said clip includes a leaf spring disposed tangentially of said hub; the hub having a flat against which the leaf spring bears resiliently when the hook is in one of its positions aforesaid.
 5. A door latch as set forth in claim 3 wherein said clip includes a leaf spring disposed tangentially of said hub and with its respective ends engaged with said anchorages; the hub having a flat against which the leaf spring bears resiliently when the hook is in one of its positions aforesaid.
 6. A door latch as set forth in claim 4 wherein said clip includes fingers integral with and in angularly offset relation to said leaf spring which overlie the hub as aforesaid and press it yieldingly against said seat.
 7. A door latch as set forth in claim 5 wherein said clip includes fingers integral with and in angularly offset relation to said leaf spring which overlie the hub as aforesaid and press it yielding against said seat.
 8. A door latch as set forth in claim 7 including a keyway in said hub which is bracketed by said fingers.
 9. A door latch as set forth in claim 8 wherein the hub seat provided by said web is a socket in which the hub is trunnioned.
 10. A door latch as set forth in claim 8 wherein said lever and said hook are integral with each other.
 11. A door latch as set forth in claim 10 wherein said lever and hook constitute a single unit having a central orifice in which said hub is receivable; said orifice being non-circular and said hub having a conforming cross-section preventing rotation of said hub within said orifice; the hub seat provided by said web being a socket in which the hub is trunnioned.
 12. A door latch as set forth in claim 11 including an integral cover for one side of said box-frame; said cover having a door pull forming a part thereof.
 13. A door latch as set forth in claim 12 wherein said web merges with said cover. 